


725K

by Lady_Arkytior_of_Dunans



Series: Miss Communication [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: A/B/O but it's not just an excuse for smut, ALL THE FLUFF, Adding in lots of new OCs this time, Alternate Universe - BeastTale (Undertale), Coping with PTSD, Court Drama, Cultural Differences, F/M, Fluff, Legal Drama, Legal Shenanigans, Pack Dynamics, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Some angst, Time Shenanigans, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, a/b/o dynamics, answers just raise more questions, reader is female, time for some answers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:35:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28918452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Arkytior_of_Dunans/pseuds/Lady_Arkytior_of_Dunans
Summary: Several years ago, the magical barrier on Mount Ebott was broken and Monsters came to the surface. But Monsters weren't the only ones who came out from the Mountain. There were also the Beasts. This was the moment when your whole life changed.You finally have Sans back and he's improving by the day. You're glad to have him on your side as you face all the trials ahead of you.
Relationships: Sans (Beasttale)/You, Sans (Undertale)/Reader, Sans (Undertale)/You, sans (beasttale)/reader
Series: Miss Communication [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1575928
Comments: 41
Kudos: 119





	1. Begin Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time passes and life goes on. You've come a long way with Sans. Despite his injuries and all the craziness that you've endured, you feel that you've come out stronger for it. Unfortunately, there's still more to come.

You sat on your couch, staring at your TV in stunned silence. The poor young field reporter kept babbling, but you weren't listening to what she was saying. All of your attention was focused on the earth-shattering event happening behind her. The crowd of monsters was positively enormous.

How could this be happening? How had so many creatures, so many _monsters_ lived hidden under the mountain for so long? How had no one even suspected their presence?

What did this mean for humans?

Some of the monsters milling around behind the quarantine fence looked like animals. There were frogs and dogs and cats and birds and...jello? Most of them seemed to be nothing more than mindless beasts. But others looked aware. Intelligent.

Sentient.

There were always unknown quantities in the world, but for the first time in your life the future itself was one big unknown. Nothing was certain anymore.

Your breath caught when your gaze locked onto a creature that towered over the others. Some kind of dragon with a massive head and long, whip-like tail. Your eyes widened further when you realized the huge, terrifying creature was _skeletal_.

* * *

Several years ago, the magical barrier on Mount Ebott was broken and Monsters came to the surface. But Monsters weren't the only ones who came out from the Mountain. The Beasts came out with them. This was the moment when your whole life changed. You hadn't realized it at the time, but that skeletal dragon creature would become not only your best friend, but your boyfriend. Of course, a lot had happened since that moment. You forged friendships and battled hardships. There were ups and downs, but you'd come out the other side all the stronger for it.

You took a deep breath, just enjoying the feel of that crisp morning air filling your lungs. It felt good to finally be out on a morning run again. The last month or so had been utter chaos, but things were finally, _finally_ , starting to calm down. For real, this time. You took a moment to bask in the early morning light as you stretched out. It really felt wonderful to be getting back to your old schedule.

You kicked off the ground and started a brisk jog. You could already feel the slight burn in your legs as you worked those muscles for the first time in so long. You would no doubt be a bit sore after this, but it was the kind of sore that left you with a sense of accomplishment.

You didn't go too far on your run since you didn't want to wear yourself out too much. You also didn't want to get lost. You knew your regular trail by heart, but your regular trail wasn't currently an option. It wouldn't be an option again until you managed to convince Sans to let you move back home. Of course, Sans wouldn't let you get too lost. Still, you enjoyed the moment of solitude, even if it was only the illusion of it.

Staying at Sans's place while he finished healing wasn't bad. Sure, it could be stressful sometimes, but it was a temporary situation that meant Sans would be healing up properly. Unfortunately, Sans's still hazy mind had apparently assumed the arrangement was of a more permanent nature. Trying to explain it all to him in small words and simple concepts had been frustrating beyond measure. With his instincts still mostly in control, he just couldn't understand why you would ever need to leave.

It was getting easier as his mind recovered, but there were still many obstacles to overcome. And Sans's recovery was the least of your worries.

As grumpy as he'd been about it, Sans hadn't fought you on the doctors' appointment. While he was lucky enough to have Ingani come to him, you still had to go to your doctor. And, since he still wasn't ready to leave you alone with any kind of medical professional, he tagged along. Fortunately, he'd been very well behaved. He only growled at the nice human doctor a few times during the whole visit.

The wonderful nurses had definitely helped his mood. You'd made sure to tell them about Sans and the situation beforehand so that they could be prepared. Armed with that foreknowledge, they were all absolutely delightful toward both of you. The warm reception they gave you was enough to help Sans calm down and relax. It also served to remind him that not every human medical professional was an asshole like Jason.

Less surprising was how relaxed Sans was during your job interview at the Monster Embassy. While he was still tense and ready for anything, he seemed to be at ease around all the other Monsters and Beasts there. You'd been more than a little nervous about the interview, but Mr. Kipa had been kind and understanding. He listened while you explained your situation and your reason for leaving your last job. It was also a nice change of pace to meet someone who immediately knew how to act around Sans. You hadn't realized how stressful it was to have to keep explaining everything until you suddenly didn't need to.

The interview itself went well, but you were still waiting on him to call you back with specifics of hours and pay. With three different law suits going on, you weren't left with much free time. Unfortunately, that also meant money was going to start being an issue sooner rather than later.

Mark and Stacy were kind enough to handle most of the work with the HR case, but you weren't about to let them pay for your legal fees. You were the one who got fired and therefore the foundation for this case.

At least they were willing to take 'no' for an answer. Trying to tell Leah all her help was appreciated but unnecessary was like trying to explain quantum physics to a poodle. No, that's not quite right. It wasn't that she _couldn't_ understand so much as she _refused_ to understand. She insisted on keeping your house clean and keeping groceries stocked while you stayed with Sans. You were grateful for all the thought and effort, but you were really starting to miss being independent. Honestly, you'd expected your Monster friends to be the clingy, overprotective ones, but they were all happy to give you your space.

Papyrus still came by every day or so to check in, but he was Sans's brother and pack mate, so it was a little different. It probably helped that Sans would be a little less clingy when Papyrus was around. He knew you would be safe, and he wanted to bond with his brother.

Undyne only ever came by on business. Sure, she was friends with both you and Sans, but as an alpha Monster, she and Sans tended to butt heads. Sans could handle being around her for the sake of all the legal crap you both had to deal with, but he would always be on edge the entire time. It wasn't that he didn't trust her. Of course, he trusted her. He just didn't like, or rather his instincts didn't like, that there was another Alpha around who wasn't pack.

* * *

Once you were done with your jog, you ambled back into Sans's den. You weren't surprised in the least as Sans walked in right behind you. He'd made it a point of monitoring your morning runs when you were safe and healthy long before the two of you started dating. There wasn't a chance in hell that he wouldn't be monitoring you after everything the both of you had been through in the last few months.

You didn't pay him much mind as you walked through his home and right into the kitchen. He followed close behind, but you were more focused on getting a bottle of water from the fridge. Dealing with Sans in his current state required all of your energy. You needed to rehydrate if you were going to handle the coming 'discussion' like a mature adult.

Sans grumbled unhappily as you gulped the cool water down.

"Words, Sans," you huffed as you rolled your eyes. "Use your words."

"don't like when you leave."

"Does that really count as leaving? You were stalking me the whole time."

" _monitor_ ," he grumbled. "not stalk."

"Fine, you were ' _monitoring_ ' me."

"...still don't like."

"I know, Love. But that's why we're doing this now. You need to get used to being separated from me."

"don't see why."

"Because I can't stay here. I have to go home eventually."

"or you just move in? then already home. we can get your stuffs and bring here."

"No, we can't." You tossed the empty water bottle in the bin.

"why??"

"You know why." Sans grumbled again and you gently cupped his large face so he would look you in the eye. "We're not there yet. You know we're not."

"we could be."

"We _will_ be. Just not yet. I know you're frustrated, but most of what you're feeling right now is just left over from being Feral. You'll be yourself again soon."

"not broken," he pouted.

"I didn't say you are. But you're not thinking clearly right now. It's not fair to you to start moving forward yet."

"to me?"

"Yes, to you. I don't want to put a whole bunch of pressure on you."

"but i _want_."

"Yeah, right now you do. But what about tomorrow? Or next week? Eventually, your instincts are going to calm down and refocus on where we need to be. If we move ahead with something now only for your instincts to be unhappy later...that could hurt you. I'm tired of you being hurt, Sans."

"know. 'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for. Just please be patient. Can you do that for me?"

"yeah. yeah, i can do."

"Thank you." You hugged him tight, melting a little at the feel of his arms wrapped securely around you.

".....do you want to?"

"Want to what?"

"move in?"

"Sans, what did I just—"

"not now," he said quickly. "just.....later? if i still really want? when i calm down? would you want?" You pulled back to look him in the face.

"I would consider it."

"but—" You held up a hand to cut him off.

"I'm not giving an answer one way or the other right now because there's a lot to consider. You're not the only one recovering right now. It's been a while since I've been completely on my own. I need to figure out how I'm feeling. The only thing I can promise is that I will honestly consider the whole situation. If we both think we're ready to move in, then we can start talking logistics. If either of us isn't ready yet, then we wait. But right now, there's a lot of different factors to take into account."

"lot of unknown."

"Right."

"fair," he huffed, grudgingly accepting your point.

"Now that that's settled, I need to head out."

"don't go," he pouted.

"I have to go take a shower."

"why?"

"Because I'm sweaty and gross?" Given his superior sense of smell, that should have been obvious.

"smell good." Or not.

"You're ridiculous," you giggled. "I need to shower. We have to go out today, remember?" Judging by the grumpy snarl he gave, he most certainly did. "I know, Babe, I know. But this is important. We need to make this statement."

"phone," he grumbled. "computer."

"Yes, we could use one of those, but—"

"stay!"

"I'm not letting him win like that, Sans." You grabbed his skull and held it so he had to meet your gaze again. "Baagh screwed us over in some pretty spectacular ways. Now he's trying to bargain for a lighter sentence. We can't let him get away with everything he did with just a slap on the wrist. We need to fight this. We're going to show up and prove to him and everyone else that he was wrong and deserves to be punished for what he did."

You stared Sans down, watching as he crumbled, unable to dispute your argument.

"here? wash here?"

"No, Sans. I am going home to shower. I've been bathing here since we got out of the hospital. Your bone soap dries out my skin and that two-in-one stuff is murder on my hair. I am going to my house to use my shower and my own body wash and my very real shampoo and my very separate conditioner."

"not safe! traps! attack!" He tapered off into a whine. He'd gone and worked himself up so much that he was struggling to form words.

You wanted to argue that your house was perfectly safe, but Baagh and Jason had both proven that safety was relative. Angel of Mercy Hospital was supposed to be safe. Baagh had managed to drug you and Sans in the hospital and then smuggled you out. Jason had gone through your personal records, gotten you unjustly fired from your job, vandalized your car in the hospital parking lot, and had been slipping something into Sans's food to slow his recovery.

"Sans, we can't let fear keep us from living our lives."

"wait!" he begged. "wait for alphys!"

That caused you to pause. Alphys had started work on a device not too long ago that she swore would protect you from any potential threat. It did actually make sense to keep Sans close until she finished the device. You were trying to put on a brave face, but you were scared of what might happen if Sans left you alone. You needed space, but you were understandably afraid after everything you'd been through. Consciously, you knew that the mysterious enemies who had been making your life hell wouldn't try anything again so soon after Jason's epic failure. But there was a small part of you that was terrified that they might. Jason had been tight-lipped since his arrest. Neither the Royal Guard nor the Human Police force could get anything out of him.

You wanted to reassure Sans, but you just couldn’t shake your own fears. How could you promise him you would be safe at your house when someone could easily sneak in while you were in the shower? Jason had you fooled the entire time you were staying with Sans at the hospital. You thought he was your friend, a human ally during a difficult time. He managed to do plenty to you without you ever suspecting. Not to mention those "friends" he talked about. God only knows what they could be capable of.

"Fine!" you huffed. "You can come with me to my house. But you're staying outside until I'm done! I know you want to protect me, but I need to get used to being home alone again. You can protect the house and then we'll go meet up with Undyne together."

* * *

You managed to shower and dress without incident. Sans stayed outside and guarded your house against any would-be intruders. Not that anyone tried. Still, it made both of you feel better to have that little extra bit of security.

Sans nuzzled your wet hair while the two of you waited outside of your house. Your little sedan was perfect for you, but there was no way Sans could comfortably fit inside of it. Plus, you were about ninety percent certain that Sans would try to keep nuzzling you even while you were driving, and you had no desire to tempt fate today.

A few minutes later, Toriel pulled up in her van. It might've seemed too large and impractical for a single mother with one child to be driving, but Toriel took her job as a teacher very seriously. She would always volunteer as a chaperone and driver for field trips, and she would even pick up other students who couldn't take the bus or whose parents couldn't drive them. Definitely above and beyond the call of a teacher, but she seemed willing to take any excuse to be around and help children. So, being the mom-friend that she was, she volunteered to drive you and Sans to the courthouse once she learned of the size (and safety) issue.

"Hey, Tori," you greeted as you climbed into the van. "Thanks again for doing this."

"It is my pleasure." She shot you a smile in the rearview mirror as you buckled in and Sans crawled in next to you. "I hope you don't mind, but-"

"Surprise!" Frisk shouted and launched herself over the bench seat and into your lap. "Mom said I could come along too!"

"With the stipulation that you behave," Toriel reminded the girl. "Now please buckle up, Frisk. We need to get going." Frisk slipped out of your lap and snuggled in right between you and Sans, quickly sliding her seatbelt into place. You only had a moment to worry about Sans's response before your boyfriend banished your fears. Sans happily nuzzled Frisk's hair, snuffling and mussing it up. His tail twisted and flopped so it was draped across the back of the seat and the tip curled around your shoulder. The tension melted away from you as it clicked. Frisk, no matter how mature she acted or how much responsibility she could handle, was still just a child. So not only did Sans's instincts not see her as a threat, they saw her as someone to protect. She was probably the only person who could come between you and Sans without being in serious danger.

You found yourself grateful for the space and the break. As long as Sans could keep some kind of physical contact with you, he was happy enough to direct his attention to Frisk. And, judging by the sly wink she shot your way, Frisk was happy to give you this much needed break.

The ride was peaceful. With Sans focused on Frisk, you took some time to just sit and be at peace, occasionally making small talk with Toriel. You asked about school and other mundane topics, pretending for just a moment that life was simple and boring. The small bit of normalcy was exactly what you needed in that moment and you were eternally grateful to these two for giving you that, no matter how short-lived it might be.

All too soon, Toriel pulled up in front of the courthouse.

"Why don't you three get out here while I go look for a place to park?"

"You sure?"

"Absolutely. It wouldn't do for you or Sans to be late to his hearing just because it takes a while to find somewhere to park this behemoth of a van."

"Alright. Stay safe."

"You too, my friend," she called as the three of you got out of the van. "And please remember to hold her hand, Frisk. And don't go wandering off. And-"

"Yes, Mom! I'll be good!"

"Okay, okay. I'll be right in." You closed the van door and took Frisk's hand in yours as Toriel drove off. Sans took his place on your other side and wrapped the tip of his tail around your free wrist. You'd been worried about Sans with this whole situation, but he seemed to be his usual laidback self. With the exception of his newfound need to constantly be in physical contact with you, of course. It was good to see him walking upright again. He was still slouching, but it was the slouch of a man too lazy to stand with his shoulders back, not the slouch of a Feral Beast struggling to keep hold of his mind.

You were actually starting to feel confident about the whole situation as you all climbed the steps of the courthouse. Just as Sans reached out to open the door, Frisk slipped her hand out of yours and rushed over to one of the large columns standing on either side of the entrance.

"Frisk! What did your mother just say?" you shouted as you and Sans darted after her. "You promised her you wouldn't run off!" Frisk held one hand out in front of her, not bothering to respond. You furrowed your brows at the girl's unusual behavior. "Frisk? What's up, kiddo?" The little girl whipped around to stare at you and Sans and you blinked in shock at how tired she suddenly looked. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she mumbled before turning all of her attention on Sans. She reached up toward Sans, so he lowered his head closer to her level. Once he was in reach, Frisk pressed a hand to either side of his skull like she was trying to keep him focused.

"Frisk?"

"You have to calm down, Sans."

"am calm," he reassured her hesitantly.

"Then you have to _stay_ calm. Don't freak out. No matter what any of them say, you have to stay calm."

"okay..."

"Even if they touch her."

"no!" Sans snapped. "will protect!"

"Relax, Frisk-"

"I promise she'll be safe," Frisk continued, completely ignoring you. "Undyne is in there. And so are Mom and Dad. And there's police officers and royal guards. Please. You can growl and snarl and be scary, but. _**Don't. Do. Anything.**_ "

Sans growled angrily at the girl, but she stared defiantly back at him. You were completely lost on the conversation that just took place. You weren't sure what kind of context you were missing, but they apparently understood each other. After a few long second, Sans finally huffed in defeat.

"stay calm," he grumbled with a nod. "promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun, dun, DUN!!!!!
> 
> That's right, Frisk does in fact still have her power to commit Temporal Shenanigans. Unfortunately for her, situations on the surface aren't as easy to fix as they were Underground. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of 725K! There is more to come, though expect updates to be slow. I'm a pantser by nature and writing up a court hearing takes a lot of planning in order to keep things accurate and realistic.


	2. Law and Order

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've arrived at the courthouse with Sans and Frisk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was late, guys! Friday was mega hectic and I completely forgot to post an update. Chapter 2 isn't too long, but it should set the stage a little better. Hope you guys enjoy it!

You glanced between Sans and Frisk, still thoroughly confused. After that strange exchange, they both fell completely silent. You weren't quite sure what to make of it, and neither of them would answer any of your questions. You threw your hands up in frustration and stormed into the Courthouse. Frisk and Sans were both wise enough to follow you without having to be told, Sans taking his protective place at your side and Frisk sliding her hand back into yours.

You managed to find the right courtroom quickly enough and were allowed to enter once you showed your ID to the security guard at the door. You glanced back at the crowd of people who hadn't been allowed in as you stepped through the door. Apparently, this court case was a much bigger deal than you'd realized. A few journalists from major news publications were allowed in to report on the case, but no one else. You'd only been permitted in because of your involvement.

You took your seat in the viewing section quickly with Frisk and Sans sitting on either side of you. You scanned the crowd of people around you, pleasantly surprised to find a healthy mix of Humans, Monsters, and Beasts. The majority of them ignored the three of you, but you couldn't help but notice a few individuals who were shooting glares in your direction. You couldn't decide which was more unnerving to you: the Human glares, or the Monster ones.

Not wanting to lose yourself in useless worries and wonderings, you deliberately ignored them and focused your gaze on the front of the courtroom. You needed to keep your head clear. You couldn't let yourself get distracted lest Baagh's lawyer use that to their advantage. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything in that direction to distract you. The judge hadn't arrived, and the jury hadn't been brought in yet. The lawyers hadn't shown up yet either, which at least meant you were spared having to look at Baagh just yet. The only official looking people in the room were the Bailiffs standing at all doors. Most of them were burly human men, but you did spot two very buff monsters, a dragon and a rabbit, standing on either side of the door where the judge would enter from. The dragon scanned the room with cold, stoic eyes, but the rabbit was equally intimidating, to your surprise. It didn't matter how fluffy he was, the man looked like he could easily bench press a school bus packed with fully padded football players.

Your attention snapped back to Sans as he fidgeted in his seat next to you.

"Are you alright, Sans?"

"not used to."

"Not used to what?"

"sit here. always sit there." He pointed to the Judge's bench.

"Oh. Right, you're a judge, aren't you? I guess you can't judge Baagh, though, since you're a victim."

"yeah," Sans growled. "lucky baagh."

"Don't worry, Sans. He won't get off easy. That's why we're here to testify, remember?"

"She's right," Frisk agreed. "Dad's gonna make sure that justice is served."

"Asgore's the judge for this case? But I thought they got a Beast to judge this one, didn't they?"

"There is a Beast presiding over this case," Toriel chimed in as she approached and quickly sat down next to Frisk, "along with Asgore and a human judge, but she isn't a judge. There are no judges among Beasts and Monsters as you know them. Crime in the Underground wasn't uncommon, but most could be judged and punished on a local level by a mayor and whichever guardsman was in charge of that district. Only very major, very serious crimes would be taken before Sans and Asgore."

"Wait, so Sans was the only judge in the Underground?"

"As I said, there wasn't any need for such a role. The Judge is not a position that one earns or is given. Sans is The Judge because he was born with a unique ability."

"Karmic Retribution."

"That's right. That means he's able to sense a certain level of guilt among those guilty of greater crimes."

"Like sensing LV?" Toriel paused for a moment, surprised by your knowledge, but quickly recovered.

"Yes, like sensing LV. That’s why The Judge is only brought in for major crimes like, well, murder. He can't sense the guilt of other crimes quite as easily as he can with murder, but his power does make it easier to bring that guilt to light."

"Then why doesn't he work as a judge? Or an investigator or something?" You turned your questioning gaze onto Sans. "You could help catch a lot of bad guys."

"not easy," he grumbled, shifting nervously as he explained. "lotsa energy. and dangerous."

"Your power is dangerous to you?"

"no, it..."

"Perhaps we should save this conversation for another time. I'll be happy to help explain things, but this is not a conversation we should have in such a public place." Toriel gave a very pointed look around the room and you were quickly reminded of all of the journalists present. If Karmic Retribution and Sans's role as The Judge weren't public knowledge to humans, then letting it slip in this context could be extremely dangerous.

"Sure thing," you said with a smile. "I should probably keep my mind on the court case, anyway. We can talk later."

"Frisk, my child, are you alright? You're looking rather pale." You glanced down at the girl to see that Toriel was right. Frisk looked pale and tired, and you couldn't bring yourself to believe her when she muttered that she was fine. You opened your mouth to comfort her and ask what was wrong, but Sans beat you to it. He reached his arm around the back of your seat and laid a gentle clawed hand on her head.

"good kid," he insisted gently. "best kid."

"Thanks, Sans." Frisk peeked up at Sans with a smile, still looking a little melancholy. You shared a worried glance with Toriel, but neither of you got the chance to pry as the bailiffs chose that moment to call the audience to order and begin escorting people in. The jury filed in through a side door and took their seats on the jurors' bench while the prosecutor walked in from the back of the room.

You'd been a little unsure the first time you met her. You didn't know what she thought of Monsters and Beasts and Humans in relationships with them. Sans, who had easily sensed your fear and uncertainty, had immediately tried to intimidate the prosecutor upon first meeting her.

Miss Kim-Ly Chen didn't so much as flinch when Sans snarled and growled. She just stood there, unblinking as she stared him down. It wasn't long before Sans backed down with a murmured apology. The woman had a slight, almost petite build, but was an absolute unit when it came to mental fortitude and strength of will. But most of all, she didn't care who or what you were or where you came from. She only cared about doing her best to make sure that criminals were brought to justice, and innocent people were protected. You weren't the least bit surprised when Toriel told you the woman had a vibrant yellow SOUL; just further proof that she found her calling as a prosecutor.

Small as she was, she still commanded attention as she strode through the room and over to her table. She looked like she owned the place, and you doubted there was anyone willing to fight her on that.

A soft, almost silent growl from Sans drew your attention back to the to the door in the back of the room, and you nearly growled too. Baagh entered with a sheep Monster in a suit, no doubt his lawyer, following close behind. He wasn't cuffed. You knew he wouldn't be because you knew there was no reason for him to be cuffed. But a part of you had still wished that he'd been cuffed.

Baagh walked right by you with his head held high and you resisted the urge to punch that completely unbothered look right off his face. He was only a foot or two past where you were all sitting when he froze and shivered. Slowly, almost as if he were afraid of what he would see, he turned just enough to glance over his shoulder. His gaze landed on you first. He narrowed his eyes and the tension left his shoulders.

Only to freeze right up again when his gaze drifted over to Sans. Baagh looked absolutely terrified for a split second before the Sheep monster ushered him onward and over to their table. You glanced over at Sans to see that his sockets were completely dark. His eyelights snapped back into place when you nudged him. He shot you a curious look which you answered with a smile and a kiss on one of his large fangs.

"All rise," called one of the Human Bailiffs. "The Ebbot Superior Royal Court is now in session. The honorable Judges Maza, Seira, and Dreemurr presiding." The door the two Monsters had been guarding opened and out walked Undyne in full Underground Armor minus her helmet, leading a Human, a Monster, and a Beast. Undyne stood in front of the Judges' stand looking as serious and menacing as you'd ever seen her. The three judges then took their seats on the Judges' stand, each sitting behind a little plaque with their name on it.

On the left was Carlos Maza, an older Latino man with white hair and heavily wrinkled skin. He looked as kind as he did stern, like he would be gentle with a delicate witness, but he wouldn't be taking any crap from anyone in his courtroom.

On the right was Asgore Dreemurr, the King of Monsters and Frisk's adoptive father. He always looked like such a teddy bear that you often forgot that he'd been a king for centuries. Now, sitting above the rest of the courtroom, he looked every bit the regal authority he'd been for so long. He wasn't wearing his royal armor, but he still somehow made the plain black judge's robes look just as regal.

In the middle was Nomos Seira, who was fairly average in size for a Beast Monster, but still dwarfed the men on either side of her. You'd never seen a Beast or Monster quite like her, but something about her made you think of a sphinx. Not a normal sphinx, but another kind, one with a much longer name. What were they called?

Hieracosphinx! That was it. She had the body of a lion with enormous paws and a long, swishing tail, but her head was that of a giant eagle and she had a pair of massive wings coming from her back. You weren't sure how well she would be able to sit with the other judges given the fact that she walked on all fours, but she perched herself between them with grace and poise. All at once she looked like an eagle watching its prey from above and a house cat surveying the home it ruled.

Once they were all situated, Seira shifted her wings and spread them just the tiniest bit behind herself and the other two judges. Everyone waited a few seconds in absolute silence as you all took in the regal and powerful picture these three judges painted.

You felt something stir inside of you, some whisp of hope and confidence that was steadily growing. You'd been ready to fight Baagh and Jason and Lauren for so long. But for the first time, you actually believed that you had a chance at winning this. For the first time, you really, truly believed that justice would be served.


	3. Trial and Error

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial has begun. You have a very good feeling as you watch Baagh and his lawyer struggle against the legal titan that is Kim-Ly Chen. You're as confident as ever when it's your turn to take the stand. Perhaps you should have been a little more cautious.

"You may be seated," ordered the Bailiff, shattering the moment and returning everyone to the present. "The court will now hear the case of Dr. Raj Baagh vs. the Sate."

"Before we begin," Judge Maza said, "I would like to state for the record that we three judges are presiding over this case to ensure equal representation of all parties involved, Human, Monster, and Beast. This is the same reason that an equal mix of Humans, Monsters, and Beasts were chosen to sit on the jury for this case. As this is the first case of a crime being committed by a Monster against a Human and a Beast, we have elected to carefully ensure that all parties are justly represented. Prosecution, Defense, do you have any grounds or reason to oppose this decision?"

"No, Your Honor," Chen answered. You would never understand how such a booming, commanding voice could come from such a tiny individual.

"We do not, Your Honor," Baagh's lawyer chimed in. There was a strange tremor in his voice, but you couldn't be sure if that was because he was nervous, or if it was because he was a sheep Monster.

"Good." Maza said, "Now if the jury would please rise, the bailiff will swear you in." You tried to listen to what the bailiff was saying, but you were too nervous and fidgety to really pay attention. Sans wrapped his arm a little tighter around your shoulders and Frisk took your hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. You shot them each a grateful smile.

"Thank you," Asgore said once the bailiff and jury were done. "You may all be seated now." The jury all sat as instructed and everyone turned their focus to the judges.

"Prosecution, please stand and begin with your opening statement." There was no time to dwell on Seira's surprisingly melodic voice as Kim-Ly dove right into opening statements. The utter confidence that she exuded the entire time she spoke lifted your spirits higher and higher. You knew that a lot could still happen in this trial, but Kim-Ly Chen was definitely off to a strong start.

She spoke clearly and confidently as she laid out her case for the jury. The way she spoke left little room for argument as she exposed Baagh. You found yourself more than a little impressed with the way she managed to make you seem so strong despite being the victim.

Once Kim-Ly finished her opening statement, she returned to her table and sat down with all the poise and confidence of someone who's already won.

Baagh's lawyer stood when the judges signaled that it was his turn to give his opening statement. The sheep monster (whose name was _Shepard_ , of all things) was well-spoken and confident, but his words sounded hollow and weak after Kim-Ly's performance. You couldn't help but sneer at the man as he painted Baagh to be the _real_ victim in the whole situation. He never directly said it, but his words and tone heavily insinuated that _you_ were actually to blame for the majority of the situation. Sans vibrated as a growl started to rumble softly in his chest, but you were quick to silence him. The last thing you wanted was for the defense to claim that Sans was threatening them and then use it against you in the case.

Frisk did her best for the first half of the defense's opening statement, but soon enough it was too much for her. Toriel elbowed the girl as she began to snicker into her hands. Frisk hadn't been paying attention to what Shepard was saying. She was far too distracted by the way his voice trembled every few words.

"Frisk, please!" Toriel hissed to her daughter.

"Mom, I can't! He-" Frisk snorted. "He's _baa_ -ing!"

Toriel shot Frisk a mom-glare and the girl managed to calm herself down.

Right up until Shepard said his client's name.

* * *

You didn't know much about legal proceedings, but it seemed like it was all going in your favor so far. Baagh had been questioned and cross-examined, and you couldn't hide your smug grin at the way he and Shepard both seemed to struggle against Kim-Ly.

Baagh tried to remain calm and composed throughout her questioning, but she managed to trip him up and make him look like an idiot. She got him to admit to completely ignoring Captain Undyne and Queen Toriel along with the rest of the hospital staff. She also got him to admit that, instead of asking any of them for help, he chose to handle things on his own. By the time Shepard got up for the rebuttal, Baagh looked like he was finally feeling the weight of his actions and just how badly he fucked up.

Dr. Ingani was brought in as an expert witness to talk about Sans's mental state and how Baagh's actions directly and negatively affected it. Again, Kim-Ly massively outclassed Shepard. The sheep monster tried to word his questions carefully, but it seemed like all the answers he wanted were either false or only true on a technicality.

You tried to stay focused while some other hospital personnel were questioned, but it wasn't so easy. Kim-Ly kept total control of the situation and Shepard kept floundering. It also didn't help with how fidgety Sans was getting. His eyelights kept darting around, studying everyone in the room. You tried comforting him, but he seemed to still be bothered by that strange conversation with Frisk from before.

Still, even with Sans's fidgeting and Frisk's giggling, luck seemed to finally be on your side. It was all going perfectly. Kim-Ly was confident while Baagh was sweating. Shepard looked calm and collected, but you were certain that he was just as nervous and unbalanced.

Then it was your turn on the stand.

The bailiff swore you in and you sat down, fidgeting nervously. You were confident that Kim-Ly would handle your questioning just as well as she'd handled everything else thus far, but you couldn't quite shake the nerves.

"Miss Reed," Kim-Ly began, "you are dating Sans, correct?"

"That's right."

"And how long before his accident did you two start dating?"

"About a month."

"That's not all that long. Do you believe your relationship was serious?"

"Our relationship is very serious. Before the accident, we discussed marriage and children. I know a month isn't all that long with a human relationship, but Beasts kind of jump right into the ' _actively planning a future together_ ' part of a relationship."

"Then do you think you knew what you were getting into? Knew exactly what it meant to be in a relationship with a beast monster?"

"Objection!" Shepard cried. "Leading the witness."

"Overruled," Judge Maza dismissed. "Please continue."

"Thank you, your honor. Miss Reed?"

"I believe I did, yes. Dr. Alphys is a good friend of mine and she was more than happy to share information on Beast courtship and relationships. And she, Sans, and Papyrus were all willing to answer any questions I had."

"So you would say that you had a pretty good idea of how to handle your relationship with Sans by the time he ended up in the hospital?"

"Yes."

"Miss Reed, can you please tell the court when you first met Dr. Baagh?"

"Yes. It was the day Sans was injured. Captain Undyne came by my house to explain what happened and I rushed to the hospital as quickly as possible."

"And what happened when you got to the hospital?"

"I was told I wasn't allowed to see Sans because he'd gone Feral."

"Did that seem strange to you?"

"Not really. I mean, I know monster medicine is different from human medicine, and my monster friends have told me how dangerous Beasts can be when they're Feral. I figured it was for my own safety. I didn't like it, but I didn't think there was anything else going on. Neither did my monster friends for that matter."

"But you did eventually get to see Sans, correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"How did that happen?"

"Well, when Dr. Baagh said I couldn't see Sans, I went to the waiting room to wait for an update. While I was there, Papyrus came in to explain things to me. That was when he suggested I go back to Sans's den to pick up some nest materials."

Beasts and Monsters watching and among the jury start murmuring to each other.

"Papyrus sent you to his brother's den alone?"

"Yeah. He gave me directions and then Toriel took me home so I could pick up my car and some boxes. Then I drove over to Sans's den and boxed up as much as I could."

"So a Beast knowingly sent you to another Beast's den completely unsupervised. Why do you think he did that?"

"Well, because he knew my scent would help Sans. And he knew that Sans wouldn't be upset about me being there when he got better."

"Would you go so far as to say that Papyrus trusts you?"

"Objection!" Shepard cried again. "Relevance?"

"Overruled," Asgore sighed and motioned for Kim-Ly to continue.

"Yes," you confirmed. "I truly believe that Papyrus trusts me. If he didn't, he would have sent someone else or gone to get the nest materials himself."

"And after you collected these materials, what did you do?"

"I went right back to the hospital. I brought the materials down to him in the basement of the hospital and Papyrus took them into Sans's room."

"You didn't take them in yourself?"

"No, Baagh said that it was too dangerous."

"And you believed him?"

"I didn't have any reason not to at the time. He's a doctor. I thought I could trust him."

"Miss Reed, when did that first change? When did you first start to doubt Dr. Baagh's intentions and question your trust in him?"

"Well, he'd been pretty rude pretty much the whole time I'd known him, but he started to really rub me the wrong way when he was rude to Toriel and Undyne and completely dismissed both Papyrus and Dr. Alphys when they offered opinions on Sans's condition. Even when I was in contact with Sans again, he kept trying to say it was a fluke that Sans was so calm with me and that I needed to leave."

"If you distrusted Dr. Baagh, then why didn't you speak out and request a new doctor for Sans?"

"Everyone kept telling me that Baagh was the best Feral Beast doctor around. I was more than willing to put up with his egotistical attitude and derisive comments if it meant Sans had the best help. I didn't completely trust him, but I never thought he would actually risk Sans's life for the sake of his prejudice."

"Objection!" cried Shepard for a third time. "The witness's opinion is inadmissible."

"Overruled," growled Judge Seira. "Dr. Baagh himself has admitted to his prejudices against human/monster and human/beast couples. In the future, Mr. Shepard, I would suggest choosing your objections a little more carefully."

The lawyer sat down sheepishly as the Judges motioned for Kim-Ly to once again continue. You frowned to yourself as you looked at Shepard. The way he was blurting out objections only to be overruled made it seem like he didn't know what he was doing. And yet, he still seemed to be completely relaxed, like he was still confident that he would win this.

"In what ways did Dr. Baagh endanger Sans's life?" Kim-Ly asked, pulling your attention back.

"He insisted on trying to sedate Sans even after he'd recovered enough to stay calm. He was extremely dismissive of other's opinions and acted aloof towards everyone, even other doctors when it came to Sans's treatment. But I would have to say the biggest danger was in pumping Sans so full of sedatives that I couldn't wake him up. After which the doctor drugged and then kidnapped me, saying it was all for Sans's own good."

"Drugged and kidnapped you," Kim-Ly said as she turned to the jury. "In any other situation, these are terrible crimes. But for a _doctor_ to be responsible for doing such to his _patient_?" She turned to the judges. "No further questions, your honors."

Kim-Ly sat down just as Shepard stood. He straightened his black blazer and strode up to you with more confidence than you expected. You were actually shocked by how confident he suddenly seemed. Kim-Ly had been wiping the floor with him since the whole trial started. And yet, he suddenly looked smug, like he was guaranteed to win.

"Miss Reed, would you consider yourself an expert on Monster physiology?"

"No."

"What about Beasts? Are you an expert on them?"

"Of-"

"Yes or no answers only, please."

"No."

"You said that Dr. Alphys provided you with educational material, yes?"

"Yes."

"Do you really believe that those materials were enough to fully explain everything about Beasts to you?"

"They w-"

"Yes or no answers, please."

"No," you snapped, growing irritated with Shepard's methods.

"Do you think this meager education could possibly compare to the years of study required to become a magical medical professional?"

"No."

"And yet, you believed that you knew how to treat Sans's condition better than Dr. Baagh here. Why is that?"

"Oh, am I allowed to say more than just 'yes' or 'no' now?"

"Please answer the question, Miss Reed," Shepard commanded with a sickly sweet smile.

"I trusted Baagh when it truly seemed like he was trying to help Sans. But then he started acting differently. He kept insisting that my presence was doing more harm than good, despite the fact that anyone with eyes could see differently."

"Are you saying that your presence did not cause any harm."

"Of course not. Sans started recovering way faster once I was able to be with him."

"And what about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes. Isn't it true that, due to your connection to Sans, you were targeted by a terrorist group?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"And is it also true that this terrorist group cost you your job and your car?"

"Yes, but-"

"Did Dr. Baagh ever specify that Sans was the only one he was protecting?"

"No-"

"Isn't it true that he actually told you to your face that he was as concerned for your safety as he was for Sans's?"

"I guess?"

"Yes or no, please."

"Yes."

"So, if I'm understanding this all right, you're upset that Dr. Baagh didn't treat Sans's condition the way _you_ thought it should be treated, even though he was attempting to protect you and Sans both. Is that right?"

"I'm ups-"

"Yes or no, please."

"Objection!" Kim-Ly finally snapped. "Leading the witness."

"Sustained."

"Allow me a different question then," Shepard continued, completely unbothered. "The real reason this whole thing has come to court is because of Dr. Baagh's actions immediately preceding his arrest."

"Well, he did drug and kidnap me after drugging my injured mate."

"To the best of your knowledge, did Dr. Baagh ever say anything to you, before or after the alleged assault about _why_?"

"He claimed he was trying to help, but-"

"So you lashed out at him, and convinced Sans to lash out at him just because you didn't like how he was doing things?"

"He drugged us and kidnapped me!"

"Seems to me like he only had to use such means because you forced him to."

"Objection!" Chen snarled. "Statement, not a question."

"Sustained," Maza acknowledged.

"I rescind my statement, your honors." Shepard didn't seem the least bit bothered by the objection. "Miss Reed, do you possess exceptional senses beyond that of a normal human?"

"No," you answered uneasily.

"So you can't sense magic the way a monster or beast can?"

"No."

"Do you have a medical degree?"

"No." Now you were getting annoyed.

"Do you have a nursing degree?"

"No."

"Do you have any kind of medical training whatsoever?"

"Yes."

"And what manner of training is that?"

"First aid."

"So you have limited knowledge and zero training in the medical field beyond basic first aid, is that right?"

"Yes."

"And yet, you were convinced that you knew how to help Sans better than a Monster who is not only a trained medical professional but an expert on Beast physiology, is that right?"

"It was obvious that he wasn't-"

"Yes or no answers, please."

"You're taking this out of conte-"

"Yes or no answers only, please."

"Yes," you snarled. This wooly bastard was twisting your words and painting you as the real bad guy.

The questions continued and there was nothing you could do. You had to answer honestly and he deliberately limited you to yes or no answers. Suddenly, victory didn't seem so sure. Kim-Ly had worked so hard to build this case against Baagh and there you were about to send it all right down the drain.

When the torrent of questions and passive-aggressive accusations finally ended, you were drained. Kim-Ly stood up and started her rebuttal, but one glance at the jury showed just how ineffective it was. Shepard had managed to undermine your whole case in just a few minutes.

There was no relief as you were ordered off of the stand and back to your seat, only a leaden pit in your stomach that grew heavier with every step you took. It felt like all the progress Kim-Ly made was just balled up and tossed aside.

And it was all your fault.


End file.
